Twisted Tom Nails O Dionysus on Wire in $100,000 Private Terms

LAUREL, MD – Cobra Farm Inc.’s Twisted Tom, facing stakes company for the first time in his Maryland debut, came with a steady drive down the middle of the track to catch heavy favorite O Dionysus at the wire in Saturday’s $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park.

The 28th running of the Private Terms for 3-year-olds and the 29th running of the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish for 3-year-old fillies, both at about 1 1/16 miles, were among five stakes worth $425,000 in purses on an 11-race Maryland Jockey Club Celebration Day program that also included the inaugural Fantasy Owners Day.

They were joined by the $75,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, and the $75,000 Not For Love and $75,000 Conniver, both sprints restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses 4 and older.

Making his first start outside New York under jockey Feargal Lynch, Twisted Tom ($10.20) hit the wire in 1:45.68 over a fast main track to win by a nose, his second straight victory since being moved to the barn of trainer Chad Brown.

“I was very pleased with his performance,” Brown said by text from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. “It was also a great ride. He never gave up on him.”

Lynch was unhurried racing in fourth as Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes winner High Roller took the field of seven sophomores through an opening quarter-mile in 24.11 seconds and ran a half in 48.97, tracked closely by Hashtag Alex and Dharmaster as O Dionysus lagged behind them in last.

Dharmaster, a 16-1 long shot, assumed the lead as the group rounded the far turn while O Dionysus began to make his bid three wide and loomed a threat straightening for him, taking over after six furlongs in 1:14.08. Lynch followed with his own move on the far outside and set down for the drive at the head of the lane.

“It was very close, but my horse was finishing fast,” Lynch said. “Mr. Brown said, ‘Listen, he’s not going to make up six lengths but luckily there was enough pace and they came back to us. When he switched leads and I got him to the outside and there was no kickback, he got it rolling.”

O Dionysus, a multiple stakes winner making his first try around two turns for trainer Gary Capuano, began to edge clear of a stubborn Dharmaster along the rail in mid-stretch but didn’t have enough left to hold off Twisted Tom’s late run, losing the last bob. He was a half-length ahead of Dharmaster in third, followed by High Roller, Greek Prince, Hashtag Alex and No More Talk.

“He just kind of ran evenly through the stretch. He dug in and put the horse on the inside away and the horse on the far outside just came and nipped him at the wire,” Capuano said. “He ran a good race. He didn’t see the other horse, obviously, but it is what it is.

“He ran a good race,” he added. “He stayed out of trouble and made a nice move around the turn. It looked like he did what he needed to do and turning for home it looked pretty good, and right at the end you could see that horse coming quick. The wire was just where it was.”

Jenda’s Agenda Stays Undefeated in $100,000 Caesar’s Wish

Co-owned by trainer Larry Jones, his wife Cindy and Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, Jenda’s Agenda extended her career unbeaten streak to three races with a professional two-length victory in the $75,000 Caesar’s Wish.

Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, the bay daughter of Proud Citizen out of the mare Just Jenda completed the distance in 1:38.01. Forever Liesl was second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of maiden Tickled Pink with stakes winner Star Super fourth.

“We trained her mother and I’ve had so much luck out of the Proud Citizens, and it looked like it was the perfect cross,” Larry Jones said. “The Proud Citizen has come through in her and she’s got the heart of her mother. Hopefully, we’ve got our hands on a good one.”

Forever Liesl, third in the Feb. 18 Wide Country Stakes last time out at Laurel, broke sharply and was in front after a quarter-mile in 24.70 seconds. Jenda’s Agenda rushed up under jockey Gabriel Saez and raced inside the leader before taking a half-length advantage after a half in 48.64.

Jenda’s Agenda ($2.80), making just her third career start and first in a stakes, took a two-wide lead on the turn, drifted out slightly entering the stretch and opened a clear advantage down the lane.

“She’s doing very well and she’s very manageable. She sat behind these horses for a while today and then moved when we wanted to,” Jones said. “I’ll tell you, we didn’t get to bring her into this horse the way we wanted to. We came out of New Orleans and we’ve been locked in the barn all week. This may be the first race I’ve ever won coming out of a shedrow. It just goes to show how good she is. My training has nothing to do with it.”

Jones said he will point Jenda’s Agenda to the $125,000 Weber City Miss April 22 at Laurel, a ‘Win-and-You’re-In’ race for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 19 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

“We’re trying to prep her up for the Black-Eyed Susan,” he said. “You’ve got another prep here in a month. We plan on being back, and then we’re going to be looking at the Black-Eyed Susan.”

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